


Obligation

by Coby_Thinks



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Deceit Is Not Okay, I Just Like Hurting My Bois Okay, I Promise I Do Love Deceit I Just Also Love To Hurt Him, Injury, Let Me Be A Monster, Let's Have A Sadness Party, No One Is Okay, Sympathetic Deceit, Whump, Yeet Yeet Mcfeet My Sheep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 03:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21172655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coby_Thinks/pseuds/Coby_Thinks
Summary: Deceit and the cold didn’t mix. He knew that. That’s why he layered, why he wore gloves, why he rarely left his room or interacted with the others at all. Not that he’d hibernate - as you’d expect him to do, with the cold-blooded shit. No, what happened to him was much worse than just falling asleep.OrDeceit is not okay, but he does not want anyone to take care of him simply because they feel obligated to. Unfortunately, he has no choice.





	Obligation

Deceit and the cold didn’t mix. He knew that. That’s why he layered, why he wore gloves, why he rarely left his room or interacted with the others at all. Not that he’d hibernate - as you’d expect him to do, with the cold-blooded shit. No, what happened to him was much worse than just falling asleep. 

Whenever he got too cold, Deceit would become trapped in his own mind and unable to control his actions at all. His body became stuck, doing the same thing he’d been doing when the change took place. In some instances he would wander around aimlessly, bumping into walls without a way to react fast enough and turn away. Or he would prepare well and sit or lay down, which led the others to believe he hibernated in the cold. He couldn't speak, and he could barely get his body to do anything at all.

So he avoided the cold as if his life depended on it. 

Layers. Gloves. Heat lamps in his room where he spent most of his time. Falling into one of those trances around any of the others… it could have disastrous consequences. He found that out the hard way when he inadvertently stumbled into Remus’s room in such a state. Remus - so caught up in whatever he was doing - hadn’t kept a close enough eye on the creatures he conjured to wreak havoc in his tiny portion of the imagination. 

It wasn’t Remus’s fault, Deceit knew that. But he still avoided the other side’s room just as much as he avoided anyplace cold, now.

Of course, that wasn’t the only time he’d run across another side while like that. The light sides just ignored him, letting him wander until he managed to get to a warm enough place. Not that they would know what was wrong - he’d never tell anyone about this secret. The other dark sides - though only once - had found it hilarious. After running into them that one time, Deceit spent even more time in his room where it was safe...

That’s why he was so irritated at himself for the situation he was in.

Long story short, he was fond of going for walks in Roman’s side of the imagination - strolling in disguise around whatever kingdom or forest he’d created. 

Today, Deceit had been sitting in the sun, basking gratefully in it as it washed over his scales. He may have gotten too relaxed, too comfortable because the next thing he knew he was lying bare-chested on a large sun-warmed stone beside a river. 

That’s when it went wrong.

In seconds, the air went from warm to frigid, and the river froze, and the stone he was lying on became covered in snow.

Deceit shot upward, feeling his mind cloud over already as his movements became sluggish.

His shirt and gloves. He just needed to get them back and he’d be fine.

He scrabbled uselessly through the snow for a moment, losing control quickly as he stumbled to his feet. Sitting would make it worse. Make it last longer. If he walked, he could find a place that was warm - even in that dissociated state. 

Deceit forced himself to start moving, though it was infuriatingly slow. Hard to accomplish anything. He tripped on the side of the stone but thankfully didn’t fall into the snow. If he had, he knew he would not be able to get back up.

God, it was so cold. Deceit shivered miserably. Why did the imagination change? It was never cold here, unless… Deceit cursed inwardly, wincing as his stupid body walked into a tree branch, scratching along his torso. Roman must be here, acting out some winter scene shiz. He most likely brought some others along.

Maybe they weren’t nearby. Deceit thought hopefully to himself. Maybe he’d just wander and suffer until Roman changed the imagination back.

Of course, Deceit couldn't be that lucky.

* * *

“I can’t believe you did that!” Virgil said, holding his sides as he laughed. Roman grinned, shaking snow from his hair.

“I have good aim,” Logan said with a shrug, already making another snowball.

“I will get you back for that, teach,” Roman growled, tackling his the other side into the snow. Logan yelped, struggling.

“Aw, be careful!” Patton said worriedly from where he was seated on a fallen log. “You guys don’t wanna get hurt, or-”

“We can heal as soon as we’re injured.” Roman rolled his eyes, gasping as Logan stuffed snow into his hood and pulled it up. “HEY!”

“You’re the one that tackled me.” Logan pushed him off getting to his feet with a laugh as Roman struggled to get the melting snow out before it ran down his back.

“Well, now I’m pissed!”

“Heads up!” Virgil yelled. Logan turned just in time for a snowball to smack him in the face, making him stumble back and lose his glasses. He finally laughed, falling onto his butt and searching for his glasses in the snow. Roman helped him, and with a touch of his finger, the glasses were once again clean and dry.

“We should get going soon,” Patton got to his feet and trudged over. “It’s been hours, we’re gonna get sick.”

“We won’t get sick, padre!” Roman bounded over, wrapping him in a hug. “This is a magical cold - there’s no way for it to have a harmful effect on anyone!”

“...what?” Logan squinted. “That makes no sense.”

“Besides, we’re bundled up!” Roman waved his arms. “And just because Thomas lives in Florida and never gets snow, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it!”

“What the fuck?”

Roman laughed at Virgil’s outburst, turning to him.

“What, Hot Topic? Have you fallen in love with me after learning I can think logically sometimes?”

But Virgil wasn’t looking at him. He was squinting into the trees around the clearing they sat in, a look of confusion on his face.

“Virgil?” Logan adjusted his glasses. “What is it?”

“What kind of stuff lives in the forest?” Virgil asked, fear creeping into his voice.

“Right now?” Roman laughed. “Nothing. The critters don’t enjoy it when I randomly change the weather. So, when it’s snowy, they aren’t here.” 

He followed Virgil’s gaze and was shocked to see that - despite him being positive that he’d created no animals - something was slumped in the snow against a tree - too far away to make sense of. What on earth…?

“Odd.” Roman started toward it, but Virgil grabbed his arm. “Virgil!”

“It might be dangerous!” Virgil whispered. “What if… what if it attacks us? Or you? Or-”

“It's my realm, Vee.” Roman pulled out of his grip. “I’m just going to make sure it’s okay - perhaps it's a Winterland animal taking a rest of some kind.” with that, he bounded into the trees toward it.

As he approached, a dread colder than the winter air around him seemed to seep into his bones. 

On the ground, shirtless and shivering, was Deceit. His eyes were glazed over, and his fingertips were blue, as were his ears and nose.

“Holy shit.” Roman fell to his knees, pulling the freezing side into his arms. Deceit’s body was limp, and his head flopped onto Roman’s shoulder. “Deceit, what…?” Deceit’s eyes were opened - but it was like he was asleep. Hibernating. Did Deceit hibernate? Roman could have sworn he heard that somewhere. 

“Roman, what-” Logan’s voice broke off when he arrived, spotting Deceit in Roman’s arms. “What is Deceit doing here?”

“I don’t know!” Roman got to his feet, holding the dark side tightly in his arms. “He won’t say anything - I know he’s awake! What the hell is going on?”

“He needs to be warmed,” Logan said, turning around as Virgil and Patton made their way over, just as shocked as they were.

“R-right.” Roman snapped his fingers, and they appeared back in the mind palace. Blankets and heating pads were already on the couch, and he hurried to get Deceit onto the couch.

“If we warm him too quickly, he’s likely to go into shock,” Logan said, stripping off his coat and gloves. “The best way to do it would be making sure he is dry, then getting warmth - not heat - around him as evenly as possible.”

“Right.” Roman was so insanely glad they were imaginary. Deceit’s remaining clothes - which were admittedly not much - dried with a wave of his hand and he grabbed a heated blanket, turning it on low before wrapping it around the other.

“I’ll make hot cocoa,” Patton said, hurrying to the kitchen.

“Why the fuck was he in the imagination?” Virgil asked, standing a safe distance away and tugging on his hoodie strings. “He knows he can’t handle the cold - what the hell was he doing? What…?”

“I don’t know.” Roman sighed. “I didn’t know he was there - truly. Why is he just staring at us?”

Deceit’s eyes hadn’t closed, and he’d simply been staring straight ahead of him until that moment when they moved slightly to look at Logan and Roman.

“Deceit, can you hear us?” Logan asked, meeting his gaze. No kind of response was heard. “Can you blink?”

Slowly - impossibly slowly - Deceit’s eyelids fluttered.

“Blink once for a yes, twice for now. Do you understand what I’m saying?” Logan maintained eye contact, and Deceit blinked once again. “Give me a no if you understand.” two blinks.

“Wai- he…” Virgil’s voice cracked slightly. “He’s like… awake? I thought he hibernated, or some shit. What the hell is going on?” Deceit blinked twice at Virgil’s statement. Logan frowned.

“You aren’t… awake?” a minuscule look of irritation flickered through Deceit’s eyes and he blinked twice again. “You don’t hibernate.” one blink. Oh. “we’re going to warm you up, is that alright?” one blink. “Do you know when you will… leave this state?” two. 

“Never fear, Read Between The Lies!” Roman declared grandly, wrapping a second blanket around him on top of the heated one. “We’ll have you back to your usual slippery self in no time!”

“Slippery…?” Logan sighed, shaking his head. “Why do I even try to understand you, Roman?”

“Beats me.” Roman laughed, summoning a beanie to pull over Deceit’s head and ears, wondering idly where his usual cape and bowler hat were. Heck, and his gloves and shirt. What on earth had he been playing at, going into the snow like he was? Roman shook his head, looking down at the suffering side with pity. Whatever it was, he was lucky he hadn’t fallen unconscious.

* * *

Oh, how Deceit wished he could be unconscious in a coma right now. It was humiliating - to be nursed back to health by people he knew didn’t really care about him. They were doing this because it was ‘the right thing to do’ even if it didn’t benefit them at all! They hated him, and yet they still insisted on getting him someplace warm.

Not that Deceit minded the warm. It was amazing. But he wished he could just be in his room, with heat lamps and his own blankets and no stupid light sides.

But he still couldn't move or talk - hell, blinking was more than he’d expected to accomplish but he’d done that. 

They had turned on a movie, settling themselves around Deceit as he slowly thawed out. His core began to grow warm once again, and while Deceit still couldn't move any limbs, he managed to speak.

“T-take me…” he grimaced in humiliation as they all looked at him, surprised and faking relief. “To my room.” The expressions changed swiftly to ones of concern and confusion. What on earth were they playing at?

“You’re not fully well.” Logan finally stated into the silence. “It would be unwise to move you, and even more unwise to leave you alone. We don’t know what provoked you to endanger yourself, but-”

“What?” Deceit narrowed his eyes, managing to lift his head slightly and finally get the crick out of his neck.

“You entered the cold imagination dressed like that,” Patton said softly, wringing his hands. “What were you thinking? You know the cold is bad for you, and-”

“I did, did I?” Deceit hissed, rolling his eyes. “Oh yes, I definitely remember thinking that was a good idea. Totally wasn’t taken off guard when the imagination changed to winter.”

“Oh.” Roman’s eyes widened and he slapped his forehead. “You were already in there?”

“Why the hell were you in the imagination?” Virgil snarled. “What do you think you’re doing, Deceit?” Deceit sighed, closing his eyes. He was exhausted, and he just wanted to be away from all of them.

“What matters, I think,” Logan said softly. “Is that Deceit was not purposefully trying to harm himself. That is good.”

“That doesn’t change what happened!” Roman burst out. He turned and grabbed Deceit’s shoulders, sending yet another thrill of terror through him. “You could have died! You probably have hypothermia! I can’t protect you from the imagination if I don’t know you’re in there!”

“Let-let-let me go.” Deceit whispered, panic coursing through him as he recalled the last time he’d slowly recovered around other sides - as they took advantage of his condition and hurt him. Roman’s eyes widened and he pulled his hands away.

“Apologies…”

“Whether your condition was intentional or not,” Logan adjusted his glasses smartly. “We cannot allow you to be by yourself until we’re sure you will be alright.” Deceit narrowed his eyes.

“...why?” 

“Because we’re worried about you!” Patton burst out, for some reason starting to cry. Deceit stared at him. Was he insane? They all hated Deceit - why on earth would they be worried about him?

“Oh, I’m sure that’s the reason.” Deceit managed to move his fingers slightly, rubbing them over the blanket around him. This was going to get ugly fast - and they did not need to see it. “Not that you’re just suspicious, because I’m a villain.”

“Just because we may not agree with you, or particularly like the way you do things,” Logan said softly, voice tense. “Does not mean that we want you to suffer, Deceit. You - despite being… they way that you are… You are one of us. You want what's best for Thomas, as we all do.”

“Even if you try to do it a stupid-ass way,” Virgil muttered, glaring at the floor.

“As heartwarming as that is-” Deceit gasped in pain, body jerking of its own accord. He hissed out a curse as pain worked its way through his limbs as they warmed up. “I do not need your help…”

“What was that?” Roman scooted a bit further away, eyes wide. “What happened?” Deceit grimaced again, managing to grip one arm with the other hand to keep it from flying out as the painful process began. “Deceit, what the hell!”

“Just…” Deceit clamped his eyes shut. “Regaining control…” oh god, he felt so vulnerable and weak and everything hurt so freaking much. “Issss painful.” 

The pain twisted through him for a few more minutes - where it was agonizingly silent in the commons around him. Finally, after holding back a yelp of pain at the last painful seize, Deceit was back in full control of his body.

He groaned softly, curling up under the blankets before stretching - surprised to find that the scratches and cuts he’d gained while wandering had been cleaned and bandaged. The others remained silent, and he could feel them staring at him.

“I… apologize.” Deceit finally murmured, lifting his gaze. “You all should not feel obligated to deal with such a thing. I was simply careless.”

“Deceit…” Deceit met Patton’s gaze, exhausted. “How often does this happen?”

“What?” Deceit hadn’t expected that. “Oh, um… not often.” he lied. “Rarely, in fact. The cold almost never impacts me in any way.” Patton’s eyes filled with tears as he recognized that Deceit wasn’t telling the truth. But what did he expect?

“Dee.” Virgil’s voice was a low warning. “Don’t lie to Patton.”

“Okay!” Deceit shrunk away still rattled from all that had happened. “Alright, so it happens whenever I get even a little cold. Generally not that bad, though. I don’t usually find myself shirtless in the snow.”

“Speaking of which,” Roman held out a sweater, black and yellow designs swirling across it. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable - and Logan said skin contact to warmth was important.”

“Oh.” Deceit accepted the gift out of surprise. The only gifts he’d received were from Remus - who truly did try his best, and he treasured the gifts - and this sweater wasn’t a rotting animal corpse. So, he wasn’t sure how to react. “Um… okay…” he pulled it on, joints aching as he moved so much. The sweater was unbelievably cozy. “Thank you, I suppose.”

“What exactly… happened?” Virgil - to Deceit’s surprise - was the one to ask. “I thought you just fell asleep like a snake.”

“In the cold?” Deceit sighed, rubbing the end of the sweater sleeve in his fingers. “I do try my best to make it seem that way. Truly, I suppose what happens in some sort of dissociation, or almost an out of body… experience…” he scowled, defenses flying up as he realized what they could do with that information. “Why? What does it matter to you what happens? You think you can keep me under control with a simple temperature adjustment? You think that would make things easier for you?”

“What?” 

“It would.” Deceit snarled, pulling the blankets around himself again. “Being trapped in my mind and unable to do anything for myself makes it very  _ easy _ to do my job correctly! Wouldn’t you like to just shut me in a freezer and be done with it?”

“Deceit, of course not!” Patton choked out, hands flying to his mouth. “That’s not what Virgil was asking - we want to be able to help you!”

“I’m sure that’s not a lie.” Deceit muttered, though he strangely didn’t feel as if Patton was lying. In fact, it felt like pure truth. “To finish answering you, Virgil, I do not sleep when I am cold. I simply cannot control my actions or communicate. To answer one you will ask soon - my body continues the task I was doing when I became cold. I figured walking through the trees would be less dangerous than lying in the snow, so I started walking in an attempt to postpone the inevitable.”

“So… you were just wandering around?” Roman whispered softly, tone different than Deceit had ever heard. “For hours, in the snow?”

“That would explain your injuries.” Logan hummed. “Being unable to react or do anything for yourself would inevitably lead to some collisions.”

“Exactly.” Deceit got to his feet, head swimming. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I really think I’ve overstayed my welcome.” fuck - he was dizzy. Deceit stumbled, dots blinking over his vision. He hissed in pain as a headache throbbed to life. He usually managed to get to bed earlier after gaining control back - he needed to sleep this off.

“However.” Logan stood, gripping Deceit’s shoulders. “That does not explain the scars that - if I may make an assumption - were not caused by accident.”

“What…?” Deceit squinted up at him. Why the hell did Logan care about the scars?

“Based on this information, and a few observations of my own,” Logan tilted his head unhappily. “The others… are not sympathetic toward your condition, are they?”

“What,” Patton laughed nervously. “So they hurt him when he’s...? That’s…” his voice trailed off when he saw Deceit’s face. “Deceit?”

“Take your hands off of me.” Deceit said softly, closing his eyes. Logan did, and Deceit grudgingly sank back onto the couch. He was too tired to make it back to his room, anyway. “I don’t know why you all care so much,” he mumbled. “But I am going to sleep. If you have a problem with it, remember I asked to be brought to my bedroom ages ago.”

“Get some rest.” Logan murmured, pulling a blanket back over him. Deceit didn’t have time to be confused at the action, as he was already - finally - drifting off into the warmth.

* * *

“I can’t believe this,” Patton said tearfully as they watched Deceit fall asleep. “He-you- Logan, do you really think they’d… the others would…”

“It is, unfortunately, likely,” Logan admitted. “Especially as Deceit has been revealed to Thomas, and is on his way to being more accepted.”

“Oh, so I’m not the only one?” Roman was relieved. “Thank god you’re all warming up to him too, I just… he’s just doing his job.”

“Yeah,” Virgil muttered unhappily. “And The Others… I mean, Deceit is the reason Thomas doesn’t know about them. I guess it makes sense they aren’t fond of him.”

“You’re not fond of him.” Roman pointed out.

“Yeah, because he makes me super pissed off and anxious!” Virgil snapped. “But I’m not gonna hurt him for that - not like they did! I just don’t like his energy, geez.”

“It’s alright.” Logan soothed, shaking his head. “I don’t think Deceit will ever change, perse. He is what he is, after all. But I must admit I don’t think Thomas will always fear him the way he does.”

“I guess not,” Virgil said softly.

“We were in the closet for 23 years.” Roman mused. “Deceit helped out quite a bit with that, you know. And while… while it was not a good time for any of us, especially Thomas, he was keeping Thomas safe.”

“Yeah.” Virgil sighed, burying his face in his hands. “Ugh, I’m sorry, okay? It's not like I want to get freaked out whenever he’s around!”

“It's okay, kiddo.” Patton smiled, wiping tears away. “What do we do now, though? I… I don’t want him to go back… they hurt him! But…” Roman frowned as Patton’s face crumpled. “W-We hurt him, too. Didn’t we? He doesn’t know why we’re being nice - he thinks we hate him!” with that, he burst into tears.

“Aw, Patton!” Roman pulling him into a hug, rubbing his back. “It’ll be okay, padre. We can turn it around. Right?” he glanced between Logan and Virgil. “That’s… where this is going, isn’t it? Moving his room to our side?”

“Oh, please!” Patton gasped, choking back sobs. 

“To keep him safe, definitely.” Virgil nodded. “I mean, I don’t like the guy very much but I hate the idea of… any of the sides getting hurt. Not just the ones I like…”

“I’ll work on that, then,” Roman promised, kissing Patton’s forehead. “We’ll work on being better to him, Patton. It’ll take time, I’m sure, but we can do this.” Patton nodded, cuddling against Roman’s chest as he yawned.

“We’ve all been worn out,” Logan noted. “Not just Deceit. Perhaps we should-”

“Way ahead of you.” Roman summoned more pillows and blankets, even a large mattress on the floor for them. “Let me just move the room now, so… if he wakes first…”

“Don’t tire yourself out too much,” Virgil warned, burying himself in blankets. 

Roman nodded, closing his eyes to concentrate. He located Deceit’s room - oddly far from both the light side and the dark side of the mind - and pulled it closer until the door was in the hallway with the rest of theirs - destroying the symmetry but feeling just right. Once done, Roman was quick to fall asleep.

* * *

Okay, either Deceit had gone insane, or this was the most rested he’d been in years. He hummed, not wanting to open his eyes in case it wasn’t real. He was so… warm. God, when was the last time he’d been this warm? Even with his plethora of heat lamps and blankets, nothing had ever felt like this before. He turned onto his side, pressing closer to the softness beside him. Goodness, this was wonderful.

Then a soft chuckle met his ears, and Deceit’s eyes flew open.

His arms seemed to act of their own accord, reaching up and pushing him away from the pajama-clad chest he had been sleeping against. The force sent him flying off of the couch and he landed roughly, catching himself on one elbow.

Where the hell was he? Deceit looked around, heart pounding, only to slowly recognize the light sides common room.

“...Deceit?” 

Deceit looked back at the couch, where a sheepish Patton had sat up. Virgil was slumped - still asleep - beside him, and it was obvious they’d been giving Deceit more than his fair share of space. He could hear Logan and Roman bickering about something in the kitchen. Deceit scowled at the texture on his arms, looking down to see an unfamiliar sweater instead of his usual clothing.

And then he remembered the previous day.

“You alright, kiddo?” Patton asked worriedly. Deceit hesitated, unsure of himself. He’d fully expected them to just dump him in his room. Why hadn’t they?

“I’m perfectly alright.” he got gingerly to his feet, rubbing his eyes. 

“You’re awake!” Roman cheered from the kitchen. Deceit narrowed his eyes.

“Why am I still here?” he asked suspiciously. “It wouldn’t have been too impossibly difficult for you all to send me back to my room.”

“Don’t you recall what I said last night?” Logan asked, walking out of the kitchen with a glass of water in hand. “We intend to make sure you get fully well again. Here.” he pressed the glass into Deceit’s hand. “Hydration is imperative after such an emotionally taxing event.”

“...right…” Deceit eyed him warily but had to admit he was thirsty, so he downed the water quickly. “Are you going to imprison me here still, or have you tired of filling out this self-righteous obligation you all seem to have?”

“Deceit…” Logan looked crestfallen - something Deceit had never bothered to imagine before, and now that he saw it he wasn’t sure what to think. “Of course you may leave if you do not wish to be here. But we all have something we’d like to discuss with you first if that’s quite alright.”

Deceit hesitated. He reminded himself that, despite the fact that they hated him, the light sides had helped him out quite a bit the day before. So he reluctantly nodded.

“Virgil, wake up!” Roman said from where he was leaning on the back of the couch - having followed Logan from the kitchen. He roughly jostled Virgil’s head, and the anxious side retaliated by slapping him as he woke up.

“What the hell, Princey?”

“Well, that was necessary.” Deceit said sourly. Just what he needed - another reason for Virgil to dislike him.

“You’re awake!” Virgil’s grumpiness vanished surprisingly quickly and he sat up, shoulders falling in relief.

“Unfortunately.” Deceit watched them all suspiciously. 

“Now, to get right to it,” Logan adjusted his glasses like the smartass he was. Deceit rolled his eyes. “We wanted to discuss with you, Deceit, the matter of your personal safety.”

“What?” Deceit stared at him, baffled all over again.

“The other… ‘dark sides’” Logan used air quotes, glancing over at Roman and Virgil. “As we clarified yesterday, were only detrimental to you when you were suffering.”

“Really? I wasn’t aware.” Deceit sighed, wishing for his comforting capulet and bowler hat. He’d left them in the imagination, hadn’t he? Great, just great. “Why are you bringing this up again, Logan?”

“We discussed it to some length,” Logan continued slowly. “And we would like to offer you a place here, with us, instead.”

Wait, what?

Deceit opened his mouth to reply but found he was unable to speak.

What the hell was Logan talking about?

“We want to make it up to you, kiddo,” Patton said softly. “We’re so awful to you - you’re only doing your job.”

Deceit stared at him next, mouth hanging open. Patton - perfect Patton admitting he was wrong? He was dreaming. He had to be dreaming.

“Not only that, but our side of the mindscape is generally warmer than the other side.” Roman piped up. “I’m afraid my brother is quite fond of the cold.”

“I-I’m aware.” Deceit finally managed to say. God, what was happening? “But I’m afraid this is going too far - none of you should feel obligated to care for me just because you’re seen as good in Thomas’s eyes! It's ridiculous, it’s detrimental, it’s-”

“Not what’s happening here.” Virgil cut him off. “We don’t feel obligated to care about you, or whatever crap you think. We actually care about you because you’re a person worth caring about. Obviously you’re not perfect, but neither are any of us.”

“Hey!” Roman complained.

“Shut up you know I’m right,” Virgil muttered. Deceit chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

“To be fully honest - and I swear I’m trying to be,” he said softly. “I literally have no idea what’s happening right now.”

“Can I try and explain?” Patton got up slowly, walking until he was standing in front of Deceit. Deceit watched him, bracing himself for whatever he was going to do next. “Or show you?”

“I… suppose…” Deceit had barely gotten the words out before he was wrapped in a tight, warm, wonderful hug. “O-oh.” 

That was… not what he’d expected. And despite his best efforts, he hadn’t been able to find a single lie in anything the others were telling him. That only baffled him further, but he ignored that for the time being as he melted into Patton’s touch.

“Obviously you have a right to be angry at us,” Roman said after a moment. “We’ve never treated you very well, I’m afraid. But I thought we might use this as a… fresh start? We want to make it up to you.”

He really was trying to listen, and he greatly appreciated Roman’s words, but Deceit could barely focus on anything but the incredible feeling of being hugged. When was the last time he’d been hugged, anyway? Apart from Remus’s attempts at being generally affectionate - he wasn’t good with people and while Deceit didn’t care, he often ended up being stabbed during the duke’s shenanigans.

“Deceit? You okay?”

“I-I- yes.” Deceit stammered out. “Jus-just overwhelmed - Patton I swear to god I’m going to explode if you keep hugging me.”

“What!?” Patton all but flung himself away from Deceit’s eyes wide. Deceit sighed softly, breathing deeply to try and calm himself.

“I appreciate the gesture,” he managed sheepishly. “I just found that incredibly painful.”

“What…?” Patton’s lip trembled and Deceit cursed himself, replaying the sentence in his mind.

“Comforting.” he corrected, shaking his head. “But you have to give me time to grow accustomed to being touched.” he wasn’t sure why, but that just made Patton’s eyes fill with more tears. 

“So you’ll stay?” Virgil asked, relief evident in his voice.

“Roman really didn’t have a point when he said it was warmer here…” Deceit trailed off, smiling sheepishly. “I mean… yes.”

“Oh, good.” Roman sighed. “I was not feeling up for moving your room back.” Deceit frowned and he laughed nervously. “I may have prematurely decided to bring it here because I really wanted you to stay…” oh god, of course, he had.

“I…” Deceit buried his face in his hands, shaking his head again. “I am going to address that, Roman.” 

After a beat of silence, Virgil chuckled.

“You can’t just not talk about stuff you wanna avoid and pretend you’re addressing it.”

“I did nothing of the sort.”


End file.
